


Secrets Only Keep Us Apart

by rylee_kai



Series: Voltron AUs [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Prison, Angry Everyone, Angst, Langst, Lots of Secrets, M/M, Prison, Prison AU, Protective Everyone, shklance - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-03-20 18:36:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18998227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rylee_kai/pseuds/rylee_kai
Summary: It happened five years ago, Lance stabbed the 'Lions' in the back and they have been in prison ever since, harboring anger against their old best friend. Only an incident resulted in the famous criminal Lance McClain landing in the same prison as his old crew. Only in the five years they have been stuck in prison Lance had been through hell and back. How will kept secrets tear them apart?Different from the actual series, the Galra control the universe and the eliminated the Alteans because they posed the greatest threat. The Galra invaded Earth when the characters were in their teens probably, and all the characters are aged up.





	1. Hate that I love you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my second work on Archive and I received such friendly and good feedback on my other story so I decided I had to keep writing. Thank you for all the support thus far.

“Rumors said you were a loud mouth, why don’t you use those lips to tell me why everyone in the universe wants you so damn bad?” 

Lance kept his gaze focused on the floor. It was easier that way. It didn’t seem to hurt as bad, it was probably just his imagination though. Lance only wondered if Sendak would kill him instead of just torture him. That would be the best gift the universe had to offer him. Death. 

“Come on I know you have secrets, I won’t tell anyone,” Sendak said with a crude laugh before landing a fist in Lance’s gut, it was only when he pulled away with a sharp blade covered in blood did Lance realize he was stabbed. 

Maybe if he stayed quiet longer that would be the end.

* * *

 

Solitary confinement? As if that would make her spill. She would never let go of Lance’s secrets. Leaving her only with the question of what the hell happened to her brother. She just wished she could see him. 

She could only imagine what kind of horrors he was going through right now- solitary confinement? His mind was too active for that he would drive himself crazy. With the other inmates? They would eat him alive right now if only he was a little more himself. Did the warden have him? He would probably be prying whatever he could from Lance. 

Her mind just kept running through the scenarios. 

“Shower time,” a guard announced before opening the door and cuffing her wrists and ankles. When she arrived at the showers she was surprised to see another shower head running, but hey she didn’t run the damn prison. She needed to focus on the shower anyway, it probably wasn’t going to last long. 

“Let’s go Holt, and no funny business this time.” 

Her heart stopped.  _ Holt? _ There was no way. It wasn’t possible. Out of all the goddamned prisons in the universe and she and Lance ended up at the same one as his four ex-partners. They really were going to get the shit kicked out of them. 

She peeked around the shower stall to make sure. She had to be sure. 

“Just wondering who the new meat is,” and sure enough it was none other than Katie Pidge Holt. Pidge’s glasses glinted and golden eyes landed directly on hers.  _ Shit _ . “Well look at that. Rachel McClain, lucky me, I don’t hate Lance, but I sure as hell hate you.”

* * *

“Rachel. She’s here,” Pidge said at breakfast. Everyone’s heads snapped in her direction so fast she’s surprised they didn’t get whiplash. Keith reached his hands out to grab her collar until Shiro wrapped his arms around the smaller. Hunk just took a moment before looking away again.

“So our old friend has returned?” Hunk said, his smile tight and small. Leaving the rest of them unsure if he was happy or pissed that he was back. 

“He isn’t our friend, don’t ever call him that,” Keith nearly shouted before Shiro elbowed him. They didn’t really need to attract the attention of the guards or security, let alone let any of the inmates know that they have a possible ‘enemy.’ No after years of establishing their crew as the one not to fuck with - Shiro’s build, Keith’s death threats, Pidge’s genius scared most of the inmates and guards, and Hunk’s smuggling ring kept people on their good side. 

“Well friend or not it might be nice to get some answers,” Shiro offered. Answers would be nice. The most loyal, caring, and genuine person any of them had ever known- backstabbed them. Not a single one of them could have anticipated it, and it was why they were all in prison right now. 

“I can’t wait to punch him in the face,” Keith said crossing his arms.

“Five years after us, I can’t tell if I am impressed it took this long or unimpressed that he got caught at all,” Pidge said, but her mind was running like wildfire...if Lance finally got caught he had a far worse fate coming to him than old vengeful friends. The only problem, only she knew...and she couldn’t tell the others.

* * *

“Maybe we should consider not punching him in the face the second we see him?” Shiro said, washing his face in the tiny ass sink that sputtered out a liquid that he was pretty sure wasn’t water.

“Nope and nothing you say is going to change my mind. He betrayed all of us. You, his mentor, Hunk his best friend, Pidge who he considered a little sister, I was his rival, and we...” Keith shouted back, trying to keep his angry hot tears back. He didn’t need Shiro prodding him right now. 

“Well maybe it will be nice to just talk, I mean maybe he had a good reason?” Shiro had been a lot more reasonable about it, but perhaps it was the age difference, the maturity. He realized that he needed to stop dwelling on why and what if’s a few years ago. Nothing was going to change the situation they ended up in. 

“I think you are still angry because you still love him,” Shiro whispered, something Shiro could only testify to because he still loved Lance. 

“Don’t be ridiculous, five years is plenty of time to get over a backstabber,” Keith snapped back. He got ready for sleep in silence, refusing to acknowledge Shiro again. Thinking about being angry was easier than feeling any of the other emotions. When Keith finished he sat down next to Shiro to lull him to sleep like he did every night, was running his hands along Shiro’s tattoo, one that matched his, one that matched a certain blue-eyed traitor. Lance drew it, a sun and moon compliment each other among a field of stars in grey ink, Keith’s moon was shaded in black. Shiro’s sun was in black while Lance’s stars were in black. Something about them being the sun, moon, and stars. Now the tattoo was a painful reminder of the person Keith knew he would never forgive. 

Keith’s other hand ran over his other tattoo, on his right bicep, a lion, shaded in tones of red, Lance also drew it- he drew one for all five of them, for their family, their merry crew, the Lions he called us. Shiro’s was on his back, Lance’s on his right calf, Hunk’s on his left calf, and Pidge’s on her left bicep. A reminder that a team works together. Funny. 

“I will never forget what he did, but I think there is a reason why he did it, I would love to hear it,” Shiro said.

Keith only responded by getting up and climbing to the higher bed, “Goodnight, Shiro.”

* * *

“You would make a lovely pet,” Sendak said reaching out to pet Lance’s face. He didn’t even pull away, he only flinched when the gruff hand brushed against his smooth skin. “But that can’t be the reason why they want you so bad. Why would Zarkon want you so damn bad? What do you know? What do you have to offer? Humans seem pretty pathetic especially in comparison to Galra, you remind me of Alteans, but you don’t even have magic so what do you have to offer?”

Nothing. He had nothing to offer. 

“The guards told me your sister had an encounter with one of the other inmates, sounds like you might have some friends here.” 

Lance met Sendak’s yellow eyes for the first time. This had to be a joke. Lance was not sitting in the same prison as them right now. Subconsciously his hand reached for his calf. A blue lion tattoo. 

Sendak reached for the hideous jumpsuit leg and pulled it up. 

“Even more interesting, friends with the Lions?” He said clicking his tongue before lifting Lance’s arm sleeve. “And you have the tattoo that the Champion wears along with his little angry boyfriend.” 

Lance flinched. A champion and his little angry boyfriend. He imagined how pissed the little angry boyfriend would be if he heard someone call him that. But unfortunately, it only proved that he really was here with his old friends. 

“Well, judging from the look on your face and that they have been in my prison for five years and you haven’t I would dare say you left them behind,” Sendak said running his fingers over the shaded stars of his tattoo.

If only Lance just left them behind- he would probably feel less awful, less guilty. 

“Looks like I will be feeding you to the wolves, or should I say lions once you get out of the infirmary,” Sendak said before Lance looked up again. Infirmary? Sendak walked away and picked up a weapon of sorts and placed it on Lance’s chest sending intense electrical currents through Lance’s body until the world went dark.

* * *

“Why am I here?” Pidge asked, crossing her arms, she didn’t have time for this.

“You are nearly twenty-three and we have another female inmate to be your cell partner, so you no longer have to be in solitary, congratulations,” Haxus said, Sendak’s right-hand man. 

“What if I want to stay in solitary?” she said, honestly it had been somewhat of a treat, showering on her own time, getting a quiet private place to sleep, befriending the guards. 

“Too bad, gather your things and this guard will show you your new cell,” Haxus said gesturing to one of the guards by the door to start moving her. Great. But five years is plenty of time to appreciate solitary. Time to grow up. 

Of course, the one-time Pidge is a little too distracted to use her brain it ends up with her in the same cell as the person she hates most in the world. 

“Rachel,” Pidge said through gritted teeth. It had been four days since Pidge first spotted Rachel, and fortunately, she hadn’t seen her since unfortunately, she would now be spending every damn day with her. 

“Katie,” she said, her voice shaking slightly, she was probably hungry, they didn’t serve those in true solitary much food or water. Not that Pidge cared. The bitch could suffer. 

“It’s Pidge, and don’t talk to me,” Pidge said throwing her stuff into a cubby before claiming the top bunk. Rachel stayed sitting at the desk chair, staring at the wall. Her long hair dirty and greasy from the lack of showering. 

“Pidge, I-I am sorry for what I made you and your brother do, it wasn’t fair-” she started, her voice soft and quiet, it almost made Pidge care. Almost. 

“Rachel I said don’t talk to me. I wonder what the others would do to you if they knew the truth about you about why we are here. It isn’t Lance’s fault at all, it’s yours, and not even Lance knows. You are disgusting,” Pidge started shouting, she had no idea she had that in her, but she didn’t regret anything she said it was all true. 

“Pidge, please, have you seen Lance? I am worried about him,” Rachel said again. 

“Tell me how did you two get caught,”  Pidge asked, she was genuinely curious, she knew her brother had helped rescue Lance a year or so ago, but Matt tried not to talk about Lance in his letters to her because of the others and in case the smuggle doesn’t go through.

“Matt he-he was injured,” Rachel choked, and Pidge nearly jumped off her bed to grab the Cuban with her own hands. Matt was injured? How bad? Why did her voice make it sound bad? “B-but Lance was healing him, taking care of him you know, but forces were closing in on our location so I gave myself up while Lance helped get Matt to some other people, Lance wasn’t able to get away fast enough either, that’s why we are both here.”

“How injured?” Pidge demanded, staring directly into her blue eyes. 

“He almost died, but he is okay, Lance saved him,” Rachel said, holding back the tears. 

“Whose fault?” 

Rachel looked up and met Pidge’s eyes, “Pidge...the Galra they targeted your family after your father retired, you-you’re parents are dead. Matt barely made it out.” 

Pidge wasn’t at breakfast which meant one of two things, the guards were annoyed with her and didn’t let out this morning or there was someone visiting the prison. Either way, Keith didn’t really care. All this commotion about the McClain’s being here was driving him insane. He didn’t care. He didn’t want to hear about any of it. He wanted everyone to shut up. 

Pidge wouldn’t stop asking around about Lance and talking crap on Rachel. Hunk couldn’t stop crying and punching things at the gym. Shiro wouldn’t stop bringing him up every single night. 

He walked through the yard and noticed the name McClain pop up into one too many conversations. But then again this was a prison, there wasn’t much to talk about anyway. 

“McClain twins huh? I heard they are master criminals, they have been on the run for years, I wonder how they got caught?” 

Well, Keith couldn’t help but also be a little curious. Lance wasn’t the type to get caught unless there was something on the line. 

“I heard they moved the girl out of solitary, maybe I can get some action.” 

“I call dibs, supposedly they are super hot. Both of them. I wonder if they would do a threesome.” 

“They are siblings bro.”

“Even hotter.” 

Keith kept his cool at the disgusting inmates, most of them were pretty stupid, and honestly, Keith wouldn’t mind watching someone try to make a move on Rachel or Lance because either one of the twins would kill the flirt on the spot. 

Keith moved through the courtyard trying to listen into other conversations, another caught his ear. 

“Between us, I saw them bring someone into the infirmary last night, whoever it was did not look good.”

“Do you know who it was?” 

“I couldn’t even recognize the body there was so much blood, they didn’t look like they were going to make it.” 

“You don’t think it’s-” 

And that was all Keith needed to hear to make a beeline for the infirmary. His thoughts were racing too quickly to try and process.

Sure enough, when he burst through the room there was someone who looked like they were on their deathbed. His golden brown bronze skin that usually shone looked tinted green and yellow with sickness. He was still coated in blood, with a few sad stitches here and there. He had an IV hooked up, which was giving him some fluids, but he looked like he hadn’t had food or water in over a week. 

“Lance,” Keith breathed out, before rushing to his side. He picked up a cloth and ran it under water before bringing it back to the bed and starting to gently run the rag over the dried blood. It took him over an hour to get it all cleaned off. He replaced the IV bag and fixed some of the poorly done stitches. 

When all of that was done Keith looked at the boy. Why was Keith here? He hated Lance. Lance hurt him in a way no one else could. And yet, Shiro was right...Keith still loved Lance. Clearly. He wanted to punch the blue-eyed boy right now for making him love him. How dare he make Lance so weak. 

Keith reached out and stroked his cheek, as soft as ever, just like he remembered. The man he fell in love with. 

  
  
  
  


  
  
  



	2. Why did he do it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the love and feedback, I love you all!!

Calloused hands running across his skin, it nearly tickled, but every part of him still ached. Damnit. He wasn’t dead. It really wasn’t that much to ask, was it? He knew that if Sendak didn’t kill him word get out soon enough where the famous Lance McClain was and then terrible. Horrible. Awful people would be coming to find him. 

Someone was stitching him, it probably would have bothered him if he didn’t feel numb everywhere, but he could still feel someone pulling a needle through his skin. Who the hell would be trying to help him anyway? This was a damned prison, every man for himself right...unless this person wanted something from Lance. He swallowed and tried to open his eyes. 

Black hair, tied up into a shitty ponytail, and pretty much a rats nest. Stars he needed to get some conditioner. His pale skin, just like he remembered and those purple eyes, so breathtaking. 

Surely he was dreaming, because never in a hundred years would Keith ever forgive Lance. Keith’s face the day that Lance had betrayed them all was ingrained in his memory forever. Hurt painted across his features and eyes. Hatred slowly taking over. Lance can’t imagine five years in prison did him much service either.

He was probably hallucinating. Turns out Lance was more in love with Keith than he remembered him being. Five years should be enough time to forget about someone, shouldn’t it? To forget about your feelings for someone. Especially when it is safer for everyone for him to not like anyone. 

“Ugh, for the record McClain I hate that you for many, many reasons, but I hate you most for making me love you,” Keith said, Lance managed to close his eyes again before the violet eyes met his blue ones. Still hallucinating. Still hallucinating. Still hallucinating. 

“We all miss you. We have been wrecks since hearing you got here. I even got in a fight with Shiro about it. Hunk has been between crying and taking his rage out. Pidge, well you know how she gets,” he said, reaching up to push Lance’s hair to the side. 

“Started growing out your hair huh? I am not going to lie, I like it like this. It screams criminal much more than your shorter straight hair. You’ve gotten more buff too, filled out a lot more, and as much as I love tiny, slender you, this you is still very attractive.”

Lance was trying not to give himself away. Keith would definitely punch him then, but he was in complete awe, this is not the welcome he anticipated. This is not the welcome Lance needed from Keith. No Lance needed Keith to hate him, Lance needed Keith to hate him so much that he would kill Lance.

“I want to hear your voice, see your pretty eyes, listen to your laugh. I want you to make your stupid jokes and I want to hold you in my arms. And I hate you, but I don’t think I could actually hurt you. I don’t think I have it in me to hurt you.” 

And yet, Lance hurt Keith and Shiro, and all of their friends. He hurt every single one of them. Perhaps it was for a good reason, but Lance should have done more, he could have done more. 

“If you can hear me you have been here for three days already, please wake up soon, I will come by to check on you tomorrow, don’t do anything stupid, I know that’s hard for you, but seriously. Don’t.” 

The only thing Lance wanted right now was to not be alive, which in all honesty is probably the safest option for his friends and family- which technically makes it a smart decision, right? Right.

* * *

“Pidge please- you need to eat, we both already know that the prison food isn’t that nutritious and you are still young and growing in technical terms,” Rachel was pleading at this point. Pidge hadn’t moved from the top bunk in hours. It was nearly time for dinner, or at least that is what the guard said. Pidge hadn’t even spoken since Rachel had told her.

“I am really sorry about what happened, but just remember Matt is still alive, still fighting for you, for us. One day we will get the upper hand of this war,” Rachel was going in circles now. She wasn’t sure what to say, but maybe if she kept talking she would annoy Pidge into getting up. 

“I am sorry did you say us?” Pidge sat up, startling Rachel, she hadn’t anticipated winning so quickly- well maybe not win. “You really think Matt is doing any of this for you? Ugh, you are a terrible, no good, awful person. Like I said before the whole reason we are here is because of you.” 

Rachel looked away, she knew all too well what she did and how it backfired and how it affected everyone without them realizing it. Rachel knew how she fucked up all of their lives.

“I am sorry-” Rachel started, only to get cut off by the younger. Pidge had jumped off the top bunk and was stalking Rachel into a corner. 

“No, I don’t want any sorrys, because sorry doesn’t fix shit. It doesn’t change the fact that you single-handedly made Lance the most wanted person in the universe. It doesn’t change the fact that you made Lance put the four of us away to save us and himself. It doesn’t change the fact that you put Matt, myself, and my family in the position that you did and now half my family is gone, sorry no dead. It doesn’t change the fact that because of you I didn’t get to say goodbye to my mom or dad before they left this world forever.”

Rachel was holding back tears because she knew that she didn’t deserve the right to cry in front of Pidge because she was one hundred percent right. For selfish reasons Rachel went on a limb and asked Pidge to look into something for her, only it unleashed a can of worms that the galaxy has been trying to pick up since. Rachel was the monster in this story- and she had to deal with the consequences. She had to deal with Pidge hating her. She could do it because for now Pidge hating her meant she was keeping Lance and everyone else safe. 

“Pidge I know you won’t ever forgive me, and I don’t want you to, but just know that I know what my actions have done. What they did to you, what they did to Lance, what they did to everyone. If I could go back in time, trust me I would. I would do anything to save you from this pain you are going through. The day Lance told Matt and me about who he was, the pain and fear in his face, the pain in me and Matt for having to lie and pretend like we didn’t know. Seeing Matt everyday missing you, it hurt. And I just wish I could fix this for you,” Rachel said because it was true. She could still remember the day so vividly, the day she and Matt rescued him. He almost looked like he didn’t want to be saved. That wasn’t her Lance, and she- his own sister did that to him. 

She was a monster.

* * *

Lance wasn’t really sure how many days had passed. He remembers hearing Keith talk to him a few more times to tend to his wounds. At one point the pain became more manageable so he began moving around the infirmary, but the electronic cuffs kept him fairly cautious of leaving the infirmary without permission.

He still hadn’t talked to anyone, fortunately. He had no idea what he would say.  _ Hi, great to run into you after I betrayed you. Has it really been five years already?  _ Yes. It had really been five years already. Lance counted every day to remind himself of his betrayal.

“McClain, lucky you, I just spoke to some of the inmates, and one of my favorites had offered to take you in,” Haxus said walking into the infirmary, he was Sendak’s right hand, he just sat around and watched most of Lance’s torture. Lance was sure he was a really great guy. 

Lance followed the man down the halls, eyes tracking his every step. He knew the drill, he was new bait, and most people there probably knew who he was anyway. The famous criminal Lance McClain. 

He got a few growls, snarls, even whistles as he trotted by making his way to his impending doom. Who knows maybe his cell partner wouldn’t be that bad. 

Nope. Definitely bad. Very bad. 

“Garrett, meet your new cellmate McClain, and make sure you rough him up a bit,” Haxus said before leaving the cell leaving Lance alone with his ex-best friend. 

Neither of them said anything. They just stared at one another. Hunk with a beard was a little strange, it made him look meaner and gruffer, not like the gentle cinnamon roll he was supposed to be. It probably didn’t help that Hunk was glaring at him. 

Lance didn’t have any belongings to put away, Sendak stripped all of his belongings, and Lance had a good feeling he wouldn’t be getting those back unless Lance gave up his ‘secrets.’ So instead Lance and Hunk stood in complete silence staring at one another. No one moving even a muscle. 

“Hunk!” someone was shouting from down the hell, it caught them both off guard and ended their staring contest. Except the situation wasn’t getting any better for Lance, because Pidge ran straight into him, knocking them both to the ground. Lance had wrapped his arms around her to prevent her from hurting herself. 

“Hun-Lance?” she said before scrambling out of his grip and back to her feet. Her eyes were red, from crying, a gut-wrenching tug came over him and he pulled her into a hug without even thinking. 

Much to his surprise, she melted into him, hugging him back tightly with her small arms. She was still so short in comparison to him, his head coming to rest perfectly on the top of her head. 

She lifted to her toes and whispered to him, “Rachel told me what happened, I can’t thank you enough for what you did, we should talk more, another time, not around Hunk.” 

Lance nodded, she still smelled faintly of metals and honey despite having been in prison for five years, he wanted nothing more than to stay exactly how they were. But nothing Lance’s wants happens- 

Hunk coughed a bit drawing their attention back to him, “Pidge, what is it, I am in the middle of handling this.” Hunk gestured to Lance, he nearly rolled his eyes, but remembered, he didn’t really have a right to do that, not after what he did. 

“I-I came by to tell you they moved me out of solitary, and I am rooming with Rachel,” Pidge said with clear disdain on her face. Lance was never sure what she had against his sister, but he also didn’t feel the need to get involved in their business and drama, he already had plenty of his own. 

“They did what?” Hunk said, moving towards Pidge, ignoring Lance completely. “Is that why your eyes are red, did they do something to you, did she do something to you?” 

“I am fine, I guess I was just emotional about moving out the room that held me for the last five years,” she lied, Lance could see through it clearly, but Hunk had always been a little too trusting and gullible of his friends.

“Well, if you ever need anything or need somewhere to hang you are more than welcome here,” Hunk said gesturing around his small cell before his eyes landed directly on Lance. “Well, maybe we don’t want to hang out here anymore.” 

“Hunk, please don’t be like th-” Pidge started only to be cut off. 

“Don’t ‘please don’t be like this’ to me. You don’t have to be upset with him if you don’t want to, but I want to be,” Hunk said taking Pidge’s hand and leading her out of the cell. 

Lance couldn’t help but wonder what Haxus meant when he said the inmate he was rooming with offered to take him in because clearly, Hunk was not looking forward to having Lance around.

That was alright, he didn’t deserve Hunk’s warmth.

* * *

Hunk was pacing the yard. Over and over and over again. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be feeling. Yes, he did offer to take Lance in. If Lance got paired up with someone random there is a chance they could take advantage of him or beat him up. Especially if it’s the place where he sleeps. Hunk might hate Lance, but no one deserved that, plus if Hunk was going to get revenge, it was going to be his own and on his terms.

Not to mention Hunk also loved Lance. He loved that stupid idiot. How long had it been since anyone in their crew genuinely smiled, far too long, and it’s because they no longer had Lance around. Hunk had known Lance since they were kids, he remembered when their family first moved to the same block as his. They became best friends instantly. Hunk and Lance, best friends for life. Then, of course, they met Pidge who brought snarkiness and brilliance to their group. Then they met Keith and Shiro, and then the world as they knew it blew up into an intergalactic war. Lance was the last person Hunk would have ever expected to leave him in the middle of a war, and Lance was the last person Hunk would ever expected to betray him, let alone anyone he cared about. Maybe that is why it hurt so much. When someone who you don’t think could hurt you, does. 

Hunk wanted answers, so maybe that was why he agreed. He figured that Lance would talk to him. Lance didn’t say a single thing when he came into their now shared cell. In fact, he didn’t even say anything to Pidge. 

Was he okay? Of course, he wasn’t okay he is in prison, and god knows where he’s been since getting here. Ugh, it was so frustrating why did Hunk still care about that jerk? Why did Lance have that effect on people? On him. 

“Hunk,” he turned directly into Shiro, Shiro barely shorter than him, but so much more commanding. 

“Shiro,” Hunk responded carefully sidestepping to continue pacing. 

“Pidge called us out here, apparently you have news you want to share with us,” Keith called from where Pidge was standing. 

Hunk shook his head, no, no he didn’t want to think about having to sleep in the same room as his ex-best friend. The same room as the person who stabbed him in the back. Or perhaps shot him in the back, because Lance did that. He shot Hunk in the back. Only him. Well, of course, it didn’t hurt him though, they all knew Hunk had the best armor out of all of them because Hunk was the rock of the group. He would always take the most fire for the team. 

“Hunk, come on they are going to find out eventually, and from what I heard you asked for him,” Pidge said. Yes, yes he did. He asked to sleep with the traitor because he still cared about the traitor. He still cared so much about that damn traitor. 

“Lance McClain is my cellmate. Haxus asked us who would be willing, and I volunteered,” Hunk said, stopping dead in his tracks, but refusing to look at the others.

“Is he there?” Keith spoke first, and without anger or violence laced in his tone, it was almost more startling. 

“Yes, Pidge ran into him and they hugged, you hugged him, he doesn’t deserve that kind of-” Hunk started only to be cut off. 

“As said before, I can choose how to act around him and how I feel about him, and there is nothing you can do about it,” Pidge said, crossing her own arms to assert herself. 

“Did you find out where he has been?” Keith asked again. All three of them turned to look at him since when did Keith care so damn much? 

“Why?” Pidge hissed, suddenly defensive. 

“He’s been awol for over a week, I was just wondering? Did they keep him in solitary for that time or something else?” Keith said shrugging as if that would get us all off his back. 

“No he hasn’t even spoken, his face hasn’t twitched, he has barely moved other than when he hugged Pidge back,” Hunk said, throwing another glare at the smallest, she threw her hands up at him. 

“Can I see him?” Shiro asked, the big man suddenly sounding very, very small. 

“Well I am not stopping you, you know where my cell is, that’s where I left him,” Hunk said. He knew he would have to return to his cell eventually, that he’d have to talk to Lance, he doubted he’d be able to sleep with how much his thoughts were racing right now. 

Hate Lance? Love Lance? Be nice to lance? Be mean to Lance? Kick Lance’s ass? Give Lance a big hug? Talk to Lance? Yell at Lance? All he knew is that he unfortunately still cared too damn much about Lance or else he wouldn’t be thinking so much about him.

* * *

As soon as Hunk finished his blow up Shiro practically found himself running to see Lance. He had no idea what he was going to do when he saw him, but he knew he had to see him.

He burst into Hunk’s cell to find it completely empty, no golden boy there. Damnit, where did he go? He turned around and nearly picked up his jog again when a silhouette caught his eye. 

Sitting in the massive window sill was a cross-legged lean figure. Shiro would recognize him anywhere. The sunlight was surrounding him, making him only a shadow in the window. Shiro around trying to figure out how the hell Lance got over there, but then again the boy always had his spots that made little to no sense and no one ever being able to figure out how he got there. 

But honestly, it was enough, just seeing him. He hadn’t seen him in over five years, and the last time he saw him it was his back, just like this. Only this time no one was walking away from the other. No one was being taken to prison. No one was being betrayed. 

It was just Lance being the perfect Lance he could remember. 

He smiled to himself, soon, soon he would talk to the boy, but for now, he would treasure this moment. 

Once he was sure it wasn’t all a dream, or trick of the light or his mind playing tricks on him he made his way back to his own cell where he found Keith laying on his bunk staring at the stars he painted onto the underside of his bed. 

“So you want to tell me where you saw him?” Shiro asked, sitting down by his lover’s feet. 

Keith’s eyes shot wide as he looked at Shiro, “What do you mean?” 

Oh, he was a terrible liar, absolutely terrible, he liked it though, a quirk of Keith. 

“Did you find out where he has been? I was just wondering my ass, you saw him somewhere, and you were hoping Hunk had more details so you didn’t have to ask Lance himself,” Shiro said, reaching up to push the black bangs from Keith’s face. 

“Shiro I didn’t- I swear- I really was just wonder-” he stuttered before finally giving into his steel gaze. “Fine, he was in the infirmary, he was really fucked up, and I want to know if he is okay and who did it to him.” 

It was Shiro’s turn to go wide-eyed, “the infirmary? And if you say fucked up- I mean he had to be on his deathbed…” 

“If I hadn’t come when I did to fix his fluids, stitches, and clean him up let’s just say his recovery wouldn’t have been five days.” 

“Five days? What do you think happened to him?” Shiro asked, he was beyond pissed, who dare lay a hand on Lance? Perfect, beautiful, kind Lance. Well and backstabbing and traitorous, but only to their crew...who else would find the need to put him on his deathbed?

“I don’t know, but it couldn’t have been another inmate, I mean these injuries had to be done with actual weapons,” Keith said, before sitting up and pulling himself into Shiro’s lap. “It was terrible, if it hadn’t been so terrible I would have brought you to him.” 

“It’s okay, thank you, thank you for helping him. We are all so mad at him, and yet we all love him so much. It’s why you tended to him, why Hunk took him in, why Pidge hugged him. We loved that stupid fucker so damn much,” Shiro said into the nape of Keith’s neck where he had pulled the boy close. 

“I-I love him so much Shiro,” Keith said through a sob, muffled into his chest. 

“Me too Keith, me too.” 

“Why does it hurt this much?” 

“Because it was real.” 

It was all so real. Too real. The way the three of them felt for each other. How they overcame their fear of being together and just let them, love. How they let themselves grow and become better together. How they let themselves love each other, so genuinely and authentically. It was so real, which only begs-

“Why did he do it?” Keith whispered. 

-why did he do it? 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also note to all my readers - I am moving this weekend to start my summer internship which means I might not post this weekend and that my summer will start to get busy. I will still try to post around once a week as best as possible on both my works right now. Thank you all!


	3. Playing Nice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love all my readers, thanks for the love and support

When Pidge arrived to dinner she saw her crew already at their table. Rachel was standing in line waiting to get her food, it wasn’t hard for her to find a table, she was very pretty after all, but that by no means meant she ate in peace. She got hackled, teased, and flirted with the entire time she ate. A few times touched, until she would smack hands away, but Pidge could sense the tension building up. Sooner or later she was going to slap someone who didn’t approve, sooner or later she was going to make someone snap, but she didn’t care. If someone deserved to get their ass kicked in this prison it was Rachel. 

“Is he coming to dinner?” Shiro asked, once Pidge had sat down. 

“I don’t know I haven’t gone back to my cell, you were the one who last saw him,” Hunk said before busying himself in the disgusting slop they got for dinner. 

“Key word, I saw him, that was it,” Shiro said before taking a bite. 

“So he still hasn’t spoken?” Pidge asked, she was growing a little concerned, Lance always had something to say, what if it bothered someone so much that they cut his tongue out or something?

“You know Pidge I actually would love to know why you are being so open towards him. You of all people hold grudges longer than anyone I have ever known. You wouldn’t talk to Keith for two months after he ate your food and you wouldn’t talk to me for three weeks after I accidentally broke one of your electrical wires,” Hunk said looking up from his food, the others followed in pursuit. She knew they were right, she was the queen of holding grudges, hence her hatred for Rachel. But she can’t be mad at Lance, not when none of it is really his fault…

She gulped nervously before looking up to meet Hunk’s eyes, anger, curiosity, confusion laced his expression. She couldn’t say anything. It wasn’t her place. She in fact still needed to come clean to Lance that she even knew about it- how the hell was she going to do that? Her mind was racing quickly, perhaps too quickly. 

So she was grateful when a tray clattered across the cafeteria- the four of them turned to just check what was happening, it could always just be an accident, but she was hoping, deeply that it wasn’t. 

Somehow her prayers were answered, in the worst possible way. Turns out her theory for Rachel was coming to light sooner than anticipated. 

She isn’t sure what caused the incident, but one of the bigger had a face full of food and a tray was on the ground beside him. Rachel standing up tall, arms crossed in front of her, as if that would make her seem more intimidating in front of all the inmates. 

Someone launched towards her from the side pinning her to the ground, she let out a high pitched cry as it happened, likely from surprise more than hurt. She was wrestling him off of her when some others joined in helping pin her to the ground. 

“Well, well, well little Miss Princess thinks she can get whatever she wants for free? No, no, that’s not how things work here. We are only nice to you for something in exchange okay? And today I want you in my cell before lights out,” this was the inmate who had previously been coated in food. He was making his way over to the still struggling Rachel. 

“Should we help her?” Shiro whispered to the group, and obviously Pidge shook her head, but the others didn’t necessarily have anything against Rachel. She had always been Lance’s very kind and sweet twin sister. Nothing to hate there right? 

“Why not Pidge? She is going to die by their hands-” Hunk started, still angry from her evading the question earlier asked, but the whole cafeteria was easily distracted again. 

The big inmate who had been threatening Rachel was now leaning over catching his breath. He was spun around and his face collided with one of the cafeteria tables. Everyone had gasped when none other than Lance McClain stepped around the man. 

His face emotionless as he looked at the five or six people holding his sister down. It was terrifying, nearly robotic. He didn’t care who they were, he just cared that they get their hands off of his sister. Pidge had only witnessed this side of Lance once before, that’s because in Lance’s eyes Pidge was his little sister. He brutally took out fifteen enemies in mere seconds, it was incredible in a sense, but bone-chilling. 

She gulped as he grabbed the hand of the man still pinned to the table, twisted and kneed the arm, the initial crack was heard through the entire cafeteria, followed by screams from the inmate. Funny how quickly the tables can turn. Two of the men holding Rachel down let go and made their way towards Lance, only for him to easily evade them, and make them throw their punches at each other knocking themselves out like complete idiots. The other four let go of Rachel in unison and made their way towards Lance. But once again they made fools of themselves.

There are two reasons why Lance was their sharpshooter. The first because he was an incredible shot, the second because he can look at a scene and predict the next moves. He was their eyes and ears on the ground.

He easily dodged the first three men, landing a knee to the groin in the fourth, he turned and elbowed another. The other two tried to attack at the same time, Lance made them trip over one another. He turned and broke one of their noses, kicked another in the face, dislocated a knee, and broke a wrist. 

“So he comes out from hiding, where have you been McClain?” the big guy with a shattered arm said, moving from the table tenderly. But Lance didn’t even acknowledge him as he walked over to Rachel and helped her up. 

Without another word the two of them left.

“So looks like the Lions might have competition for who rules this place,” someone said walking past Pidge’s table. She wanted to laugh at that too. There would be no competition from Lance and who rules the prison. Lance doesn’t care about shit like that, the four of them barely even cared about ruling, the only reason they were the top dogs was to make sure no one messed with them. 

“So uh, should we go check on them or?” Keith said looking around the wreckage of the cafeteria. She was honestly surprised none of the guards did anything with the amount of injuries that came out of the fight, especially with everyone watching.

“I will go,” Pidge jumped up leaping at the opportunity to avoid Hunk and his judgement.

* * *

Rachel was fine, really. A few bumps and bruises, but that’s it. She didn’t need Lance to come save her, but she was sure no one was going to be messing with her anymore.

Lance hadn’t said anything. Not a single thing, it was a little daunting, the overly talkative person not saying a thing. She figured she’d at least wait until they got back to her cell. They were walking silently through the halls of the prison everyone who saw them got out of their way had news really spread that fast? 

When they got back to her cell he helped her onto the lower bunk and began tending to her. It nearly made her angry, was he seriously not going to say anything? He just kicked seven people’s asses for her sake and he hadn’t yelled at her or yelled at them. Had he been in solitary for so long that he forgot how to speak? What was going on with him? She hadn’t even hugged him yet. 

“Lance,” she whispered, he met her eyes briefly before looking back to a scratch on her shoulder.

“Please talk to me, what’s wrong?” she pleaded, she wanted to hear his voice, his bubbly, happy voice.  She missed him, she needed him, especially having to room with someone who hated her guts. 

But he still remained silent, and before she knew it he was leaving, she tried to call after him, but there was apparently no point. He was gone. She looked over her injuries in the tiny shitty mirror in the cell. She was probably going to be a bit sore tomorrow. 

“Lance!” Pidge came running into her cell, startling Rachel. “You aren’t Lance, where is Lance?” 

“He cleaned some of my scratches and ran off,” Rachel said, looking away from Pidge, they hadn’t spoken in days.

“Did he go back to his cell? I need to talk to him. Has he spoken yet? He hasn’t spoken at all, and I am getting worried. And we need to talk about talking to Lance, I think he needs to know the truth, it will help him understand why everyone is after him. We also need to convince him to tell the others and then figure a way out of here. He may be able to fend off a bunch of idiot inmates, but fighting of Sendak, Zarkon, and Honerva won’t be easy.” 

Pidge was going off like a lunatic, spouting on and on. And selfishly all Rachel could only think about losing Lance’s trust. She didn’t want Lance to know that she fucked everything up in his life. She didn’t want Lance to hate her. 

“Oh and did you find out where he was for the past week and a half? I mean I know he wasn’t speaking, but seriously we could use some goddamn answers-” Pidge kept carrying on. 

“Pidge I need you to take a deep breath,” Rachel said cutting her off. She was working herself up for no reason. 

“Rachel shut the hell up, I don’t want to hear anything from you,” Pidge yelled, making Rachel jump backwards. 

“Pidge, you were the one asking me questions,” Rachel defended. 

“I was speaking to the air, well sort of. Look I am stressed because he is in danger, in fact, we all are. And this is all your fault. We have work to do and the only reason I am working with you is because at the moment you are the only one who knows.”

Rachel took a deep breath. She couldn’t hide the truth from Lance any longer, really she couldn’t. He was going to end up dead or worse at this rate, he is pretty much a sitting duck in this prison. Just waiting for someone to come take him away. 

“Fine, I will tell him, but can we agree to actually speak to one another?” Rachel offered, looking for something, talking to one another would help, it would help her feel more confident in talking to Lance. In possibly losing him. 

“You don’t get to make demands right now, but it is looking like we are going to have to talk to one another, so sure,” Pidge said crossing her arms and sitting on Rachel’s bed. “Look, Hunk pointed out earlier that I have a tendency to hold grudges, but I just want you to think. If I had convinced you to do some digging on Matt and other stuff and in the end it endangered you, your friends, and everyone in the universe would you be upset with me?” 

Rachel crossed the room and sat next to her, “Pidge we all know I would be beyond upset, you have every right to hate me. I hate me most days too, I hardly suffered from my own consequences while you, Hunk, Shiro, and Keith are in prison while Lance went through a terrible five years of life, while Matt was constantly hiding and on the run. None of what I did to you all was fair.”

“Well as long as you hate yourself too,” Pidge let out a small laugh before leaning her shoulder into Rachel’s arm. The contact reminded her of the first time the two of them met. Lance was so excited for his pseudo little sister to meet his real twin and older sister. If only Veronica were still around, she always knew what to do. 

“I just wish I could go back in time and fix all of this,” Rachel said wiping a tear as it streamed down her face.

* * *

Lance made his way back to his room as soon as possible, he figured if he stayed too long Rachel would actually get him to spill. Plus he knew that Pidge would probably try to stop by. As long as he could make it back to his cell he was sure he would be able to avoid interaction, especially judging from the way Hunk acted earlier.

He probably shouldn’t have gotten into a fight so soon after getting out of the infirmary, he could feel some of his stitches had popped open. But as soon as he heard Rachel’s screech he ran to the cafeteria, there was no way in hell he was letting anyone lay a hand on her or any of his old friends while he was here. It wouldn’t be too much longer though, if he had to bet, he maybe had another week at most. He would have to talk to Pidge or Hunk about keeping an eye on Rachel, making sure she doesn’t end up in too sticky of situations. Hopefully they would, he knew they were good people, and she didn’t do anything wrong, she didn’t stab them in the back.

Nearly to his cell he could sense people were watching him, and sure enough as soon as he was within feet of his cell door Haxus stepped out. 

“Lance McClain Sendak has requested your presence  _ again _ ,” the way he said again was likely supposed to inflict some sort of panicked response, but it didn’t. Not even a little bit. In fact, if Sendak could permanently end Lance that would in fact be great. 

Lance just nodded and followed Haxus down the halls, perhaps if Lance actually cared about escaping he would keep better track of the endless halls and doors, but he didn’t care. Why escape when death was awaiting him anyway. 

When he entered the all too familiar office Sendak rose from his chair with a smile, “So the great Lance McClain leaves the infirmary and on the first day gets into a fight and yet you wouldn’t bother to tell me anything.” 

“Haxus said that the yellow lion, the big one offered to be your cellmate, have you two had a chance to talk out your differences yet? I also heard the red one, the angry one tended to you in the infirmary how sweet. The smallest one is rooming with your sister, but rumor has it they verbally fought and haven’t said anything to each other since. Want to tell me what happened between all of you?” Sendak said walking forward to rest a hand on Lance’s shoulder, as if trying to comfort him. 

“Come on McClain I will get answers out of you soon enough. You should start talking while I am playing nice,” Sendak said, Lance wasn’t scared yet, there was nothing Sendak could do to make him spill. And if Sendak sought to go after people he cared about he figured that Sendak wouldn’t touch the so-called Lions because odds are Shiro and Hunk actually keep the prison inmates in line. Pidge and Keith go along with those two. The only possibility was that he could hurt Rachel, which meant he needed to jump on the whole getting Hunk and Pidge to protect her sooner than later. 

“Still nothing, well, well, it’s too bad no one bruised you up earlier, so how about I do it for them,” Sendak said before reaching for a club and swinging it into Lance’s ribcage. Lance was able to jump to move the impact to hit more muscle than bone, but that didn’t mean it was any less of a blow. If he hadn’t reopened his stitches from earlier, they were definitely open now. 

“Aren’t you going to try to fight back?” Sendak taunted, but no amount of provoking was going to work. Lance simply didn’t care about his own injuries or well-being. 

He isn’t sure how many more hits he took nor how long he was there, but at least he didn’t black out this time. He vaguely recalled the guards picking him up and dragging him into the hallway. 

The way back was slow and full of stumbles, he should probably stop at the infirmary, but he honestly just wanted to sleep. Sleep sounded very nice at the moment. 

That was until he got jumped. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter didn't have any Shklance interaction - don't worry the next two chapters will have a lot of langst and fluffy sheith.


	4. "I know"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: I will add some tags for this too, but for right now just be warned that Lance is a very depressed person who has seen and experienced a lot of trauma and he blames himself for it. At the end of this chapter there is an attempt on Lance's life. 
> 
> As someone who has depression and has had suicidal ideation I want to let everyone know that if this is potentially triggering please skip the last section of the beginning with "his stomach rumbled gently." I also would like everyone to know that if you ever need someone to talk to please don't be afraid to call a hotline, call a friend, or email me a complete stranger (ryleekai.kr@gmail.com).

In their defense they didn’t mean to scare the shit out of him nor did they realize he was injured. They went to Hunk’s cell with him after dinner in hopes that Lance would eventually come by, but when Haxus came in looking for him and Haxus took him away Shiro and Keith decided to keep their eyes open for their missing Lance. 

“Lance?” Shiro was shaking the smaller boy, but he was  giving little to no response, mostly just dangling like a rag doll. 

“What’s wrong with him,” Keith asked, concerned because as soon as they grabbed him Lance just stopped responding, his entire demeanor collapsed, he didn’t look too hot coming down the hall either. He wondered if maybe he had been attacked by the inmates from earlier. 

Keith leaned down next to the boy and noticed that his jumpsuit was wet, it was a little too dark to see, but Keith had a pretty good idea what happened. Every swift quick movement from Lance’s fight earlier had Keith cringing at the thought of his stitches. 

“We need to get him to our cell, I think his stitches opened again,” Keith said and Shiro nodded before lifting Lance into a cradle and heading towards their shared cell. Keith ran to the infirmary to grab a suture kit and bandages. 

When he got back Shiro’s face was ghost pale, “Shiro what’s wrong?” 

“Lance- his body it’s covered in blood and bruises,” Shiro said pointing to where Lance was lying on the bed, Shiro had covered him with a blanket. 

Keith walked over to him and removed the blanket and lifted the shirt. Sure enough he was still coated, but there were new bruises present too, not to mention the new cuts, broken ribs, and opened stitches. 

Keith groaned, but carefully got to work. Shiro remained completely silent and Lance was still out. He finished tending to the stitches and cuts about fifteen minutes later, and when he placed his hand on the broken ribs Lance sharply inhaled and sat up faster than light. Realization struck, but so did the nausea so he rushed to the toilet.

When he finished he stood up and tried to make his way for the door, but Shiro cut him off. 

“You don’t get to leave yet. What the hell happened? We caught you in the hall and you blacked out and we noticed you had a bunch of injuries. Are you okay?” Shiro started whisper yelling at the younger. 

Lance looked to the ground, refusing to make eye contact. He opened his mouth, but coughed a few times. 

“Can you speak?” Keith asked, taking a small step forward, Pidge had expressed concerns in him speaking, perhaps there really was a problem. 

“Well, I found if I don’t open my mouth at all there are less chances of people getting hurt,”  his voice was thick and coarse, but still sounded so soft in Keith’s ears. His beautiful voice, he can still remember the times he sung to him and Shiro in Spanish. Or when he would scream pop songs at the top of his lungs. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Shiro asked, his eyebrows were knit and wrinkles decorated his face, classic, Shiro the worrier. 

“Thank you Keithy, for fixing me up before and now,” he said, and the nickname made Keith’s heart flutter. Ugh it wasn’t fair that someone had this much of an affect on him, but still Keith smiled in response, and reached out to rest a hand on his shoulder, but Lance flinched when he did, barely, but Keith noticed. So did Shiro, and taking advantage of their response Lance rushed out of the cell. 

“Did you just see that?” Shiro asked. 

“He flinched, he loves contact, he told us it makes him feel loved and safe,” Keith said, his voice trailing to memories and good times. It was actually Lance who made Keith more comfortable with contact. What happened? 

“And where did he get those injuries from? There is no way he got that banged up from the inmates,” Shiro said, and he definitely had a point, the way those ribs were broken suggested a blunt force from an object. 

“I have no idea, but at least we know he can speak,” Keith said with a sigh, before sitting down on Shiro’s bunk. Shiro walked over and placed his head in Keith’s lap. He usually did that when he wanted to cry, so Keith just stroked his hair and rubbed his back. Their Lance was different. 

 

Hunk was waiting for Lance. It had been two hours since Haxus took him away and it was nearly time for lock up. He couldn’t help but be worried. Everyone knew Haxus wasn’t that bad, but it was who Haxus worked for that sucked. Though the warden, Sendak hardly ever showed his face, he hardly did anything around here. 

Looks like Hunk’s worrying had at least been worthwhile as Lance stumbled in breathing heavy, and much to his surprise he lunged forward to help the skinnier man to Hunk’s bunk. 

“What happened?” Hunk asked, helping Lance sit down. 

“Nothing, don’t worry about it,” Lance said, and Hunk didn’t realize how much he missed his friend’s voice, though it was breathy and coarse, it was still Lance. The same Lance that was his best friend. 

“Look I may be mad at your or whatever but-” Hunk started, but Lance lifted one of his hands. 

“Stay mad, I was terrible, I don’t deserve your kindness, your sympathy, and definitely not your friendship. Thank you for your help and concern, but really Hunk don’t,” Lance said lifting himself up slowly. 

Everything in Hunk’s mind went silent. The only thing he could see was his broken, hurting best friend. Lance had always been the same- pretending like he wasn’t hurting and pushing people away when they tried to help him. He had done it to his family when his grandpa passed away. He had done it to Hunk when he realized he was bisexual. He was doing it right now. 

So before Lance could reach for the ladder to the top bunk Hunk pulled him into a gentle hug, afraid to make any hidden injuries worse. 

“Hunk I mean it-” Lance started.

“Shut up,” Hunk whispered back, and held Lance. “I am going to be totally honest, I know my best friend wouldn’t stab me in the back, not without a good reason. I am still upset, but only because I bet we could have handled in another way, I am upset because you didn’t tell me what was going on those five years ago. Fuck. I still care about you. God we all do, because we know you Lance, you wouldn’t turn your back on us. So right now, since I finally have you in my arms I am not going to let you go, I am not going to let you do this alone.”

Hunk could feel tears soak his shirt, and it honestly only made him feel worse, he wondered how long Lance had held in his cry. He always did that too, always held in his emotions until he couldn’t anymore. 

“Hunk,” Lance said before wiping his tears and pulling away, his blue eyes sparkling from the tears. “I’m sorry, but it’s not your choice, it’s mine.” 

And with that Lance climbed into bed silently. Hunk knew better than to try and get him to talk. If you pushed too hard with Lance you pushed him away permanently. So he would wait. He would wait as long as he needed to, to get his best friend back. He knew he was still there. 

 

Lance was utterly exhausted. For so, so many reasons. When was the last time he slept? Other than when he blacked out from injuries. When was the last time he ate? When was the last time he showered? When was the last time he interacted with another person, in a normal social way? When was the last time he had a hug from his Mama?  When was the last time he didn’t feel useless? 

Hunk’s gentle snores used to help lull Lance to sleep, Lance craved having another body close by, the warmth, the security. Many things have changed in five years. The gentle snore chilled him to the bone as a reminder that someone else was sleeping near him. 

He had been so broken over the past five years he couldn’t even have a normal interaction with his sister, with his ex-boyfriends, with his ex-best friend. He couldn’t do anything right, but he already knew that, all of this was just a painful reminder. 

Not to mention all of them had to be so damn caring? Why couldn’t they just see that Lance got them in this mess and they should hate him for that? 

A knock on the door and it slid open, he rushed out before Hunk could say anything to him. He couldn’t let himself be as vulnerable as he did last night, he nearly opened up to Hunk, the person who had been by his side for years and years.

No Lance was meant to be alone. It was safer that way for everyone, it was safer if no one knew.

* * *

 

“Should we just walk straight up and tell him?” Pidge asked pacing the floor, she was so nervous just thinking about how all of this would unravel. Technically she hid the truth from him too, and from everyone else. What would all of them think? Would it make them angry or more willing to forgive?

“I mean how else? It’s not something you can casually slip into conversation,” Rachel said, fidgeting her fingers nervously. 

“Okay, well when?” 

“The longer we wait the more danger we put all of us and him in. Especially him. We need to be five steps ahead, and right now we are about fifty behind.” 

Helpful, real helpful, this is why she always liked Lance better, at least he made terrible jokes when he was nervous. Rachel, on the other hand, just becomes a cynical little bitch. 

“Well the only way to loosen another person’s advantage is to be unpredictable,” Pidge said, Rachel sat up and nearly hit her head on the bunk. 

“Katie Pidge Holt wants to be unpredictable? She wants to go at this without a plan?” 

“It’s the only way,” Pidge said with a shrug, but yes, this was terribly unique for her, so unique that it put a heavy pit in her stomach. Going in without a plan was dangerous, risky, and could very well end up in a massive fiery disaster, but honestly that was a better outcome than anything else.

* * *

 

Shiro was banking on Lance actually coming to breakfast this morning, he was in terrible shape and must have been rather hungry right? Hopefully between Keith, Shiro, Hunk, and Pidge they would get him to spill. 

“What’s wrong?” Keith whispered as they waited in line for breakfast. 

“Just thinking about him,” Shiro said back. Last night he was fresh on both of their minds as they shared a bunk. They didn’t often do it just because of how small the beds were, but sometimes it was nice to have another body there. 

“We will find out what’s going on. Pidge will get him to crack I am sure,” Keith said with a laugh, Pidge always had a means of getting Lance to spill. 

When they walked to their table they were surprised to see Rachel sitting there with Pidge, the two of them talking to one another. Didn’t Pidge have issues with Rachel?

“Rachel,” Shiro said, a little suspicious of the situation, but maybe Pidge did catch Lance last night and he convinced the two girls to make up. 

“Shiro, Keith, I hope you don’t mind me joining you for breakfast, Pidge and I were just discussing something,” Rachel said, keeping it abnormally formal. 

“Uh yeah no we don’t mind,” Keith said sitting down next to Shiro. 

They remained in complete silence until Hunk arrived. 

“You know I am just going to get straight to the point what the hell happened to Lance last night, does anyone know? He came back into our cell all bruised and fucked up,” Hunk said. Shiro still thinking about how the boy blacked out when they grabbed him, how messed up he looked, and how he flinched when they touched him. It was terrible, it wasn’t Lance. 

“We waited for him after Haxus took him wherever, he wasn’t in too good of shape when we found him again. Keith ended up fixing some of his stitches and cuts, but he wouldn’t let us bandage his broken ribs,” Shiro said. 

“Broken ribs?” Rachel said, her formal demeanor melting off into worry and concern. 

“Yes, just two of them probably, and even then I didn’t get that great of a look,” Keith said. 

“Do you think some of the inmates did it to him as payback for the fight?” Pidge said, anger was slowly spreading through her, which was going to be bad for everyone in the prison. 

“Keith and I think an object may have been swung into his ribs based on the injury, so we aren’t sure if it was inmates or not,” Shiro said. 

“Wait, what do you know of the warden?” Rachel asked. 

“Sendak? He used to be Zarkon’s right-hand man, at least until Zarkon’s son made a fool of Sendak. Zarkon sent him here to manage this prison after that,” Hunk said, but Shiro couldn’t help but notice Rachel cringing everytime Zarkon’s name was mentioned. 

“And their relationship, Sendak and Zarkon?” Pidge asked, drawing the attention of the three boys, her gaze though was far off, the way it was whenever she was trying to work through a problem. 

“Terrible. Sendak hates Zarkon’s guts, and Zarkon hardly ever speaks with Sendak anymore,” Hunk said again. 

“I think it’s safe to say that Lance’s injuries are from Sendak,” Rachel said. 

“What? The warden doesn’t involve himself in inmate affairs, or at least he hasn’t for as long as we have been here,” Shiro said, he didn’t even make an appearance when inmates died or when there were prison fights. 

“Lance isn’t a normal inmate,” Pidge said looking to meet Rachel’s eyes and nodding a bit.

“Well of course not, Lance is incredible in every way, but what does that have to do with the warden?” Keith started raising his voice so Shiro leaned closer to him and took his hand, he had a pretty damn good feeling that this was supposed to be a private conversation. 

“I can’t tell you what that means yet, it’s up to Lance, but Lance has a galactic target on his back, and him being in prison won’t be good enough for anyone. Sendak is probably trying to pry answers from Lance about it,” Pidge said. 

She can’t tell us what Lance not being normal means only that he is being hunted and beat up. Great. But pry did remind him...last night when Lance first spoke. 

“When he first spoke last night, or at least to us he said something about less people getting hurt if he keeps his mouth shut,” Shiro said, Keith nodded in agreement. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Hunk said, a little desperate for answers. 

“We asked, but he evaded the question,” Keith said. 

Hunk looked up slowly, “He told me last night to stay mad at him and when I told him I wouldn’t let him brave whatever was happening alone he told me it wasn’t my choice but his.” 

“Sounds like Lance is hurting on the inside,” Keith said quietly, and everyone nodded slowly, because they all recognized this side of Lance, it was when whatever he was bottling up couldn’t be contained anymore. 

“What do we do?” Hunk asked, and Shiro could feel the hopelessness in Hunk, his best friend was different, and he didn’t know how to help. 

“Let’s go find him, we need him to talk to all of us, we need to help him out of here.

* * *

 

His stomach rumbled gently, his body felt faint and weak, but he knew what he was doing. It made sense this way. If he couldn’t get out of here then this is what he would do. 

He was sitting on a ledge, looking out the massive windows. He imagined this planet to be very beautiful, if only it hadn’t been conquered by the Galra and turned into a prison. It reminded him of his own home, green fields and fields of flowers. Crystal clear lakes and refreshing ocean waves. He carelessly wiped the tear coming down his cheek. Showing emotion like that could end up hurting him. 

He could sense people looking at him, but he refused to turn around. He didn’t care who was there. A few them called out to him, confirming who it was. He said too much last night, so really it was no surprise they came looking. 

“Lance I know,” Pidge said. There was always something special about their bond. Lance knew it the moment he met her, he could tell what she meant from a look in her eye or the way she moved her glasses. She could tell what was thinking from the shape of his smile to the slightest movement of his body. 

Lance knew that Pidge knew exactly what she wasn’t supposed to know, he also knew that he knowing but her in so much more danger. It’s why her family got killed, it’s why Matt barely escaped alive. It’s part of the reason he got his friends stuck in a prison, because who would track down Lance’s ex-best friends, clearly he didn’t care about them. Or at least that was the idea. 

He turned around on his ledge to see the five of them standing there. Shiro, Keith, Hunk, Pidge, and Rachel. All of them, so supportive and caring, they would probably all forgive him if he explained what really happened, what was really going on, why he did what he did. He didn’t deserve people like this in his life. 

So in a split second Lance finally realized what he needed to do, none of them could be in danger anymore if he ended it all. No one would track his down, or use his friends or family against him, or hurt him ever again. Not if he ended it all right now, not if he was dead. So he stood up and took a step forward and let himself tumble to-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I have been seeing a lot of Leakira art lately and it's inspired me. I want to write something about it. I have a story line already in my head. So keep your eyes out for it. I am also working on another fun project so let's see how that goes. Also please note I am still at my internship which takes up so much of my time. Also note that I really really love what I am doing and I wouldn't give up this internship for anything in the world but I work roughly 40 to 60 hours a week so I get quite busy and when I finish work I often just want to sleep haha. Keep that in mind if I don't post as regularly or if my writing seems sloppier. Anyway love you all so much. I put my email in the beginning notes of the chapter. If you have any suggestions or need someone to talk to please I am more than open to making new friends <3\. Just please don't send anything weird or creepy. I made it specifically for my writing so I will delete it if I feel uncomfortable.


	5. Maybe...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHAH SOrrY tHis TOok so LonG.

When Hunk walked into the infirmary it was exactly how he left it. Shiro cuddling into Lance, Keith in a chair pulled impossibly close to the bed holding Lance’s hand. Rachel and Pidge whispering as they sat on another bed. 

Hunk held up mail, and not ordinary mail either. Today was laundry day, the day that Hunk got most of his smuggled goods. He had a package addressed to himself which he decided to handle later. He delivered all the goods to everyone around the prison. Then returned to his cell only to open the box and find letters, letter after letter all enveloped together, even more fascinating was that each envelope was addressed to someone different. 

He handed one Shiro, one to Keith, one to Rachel, two to Pidge and he rested four against Lance’s chest. 

“What’s this?” Keith asked, twisting it in his hands. 

“I am not sure, it came in today’s haul for me,” Hunk said with a shrug looking at his own letter. He carefully open his own, everyone watching carefully. 

 

_ Hunk,  _

_ I am finally back on my feet again, it’s been a rough month. Sorry it’s been so long since you have heard from me. Far too much has happened and I have been doing damage control on the outside. I heard from my own sources that Lance is there. I know you probably hate him, but please, please protect him. He needs it.  _

_ I am going to try to stay in contact as much as possible without getting myself caught, I am on the run right now. Give Lance a hug for me.  _

_ MH _

 

 

“It’s from Matt,” Hunk said and in seconds Pidge ripped into her letters. 

 

_ Katie,  _

_ I am sorry. I am so sorry I have to tell you this over letter. I hope that Lance or Rachel was able to tell you in person and give you a hug. If they didn’t don’t be mad, they probably just weren’t sure how to tell you.  _

_ Mom and Dad are gone, the three of us were attacked, and before you jump to blaming Lance or Rachel just know it has more to do with Dad and his work for Zarkon than it has to do with Lance.  _

_ I included the most recent photo I have of all of us. I will get you out of that stupid prison one day, but for right now I am glad that those prison walls protected you. I understand why Lance did what he did now. When he claimed he was protecting you I never really understood. _

_ I love you so much, and I promise I will be seeing you soon.  _

_ MH _

  
  


_ Pidge,  _

_ I couldn’t include this in the same letter, it just didn’t feel right. Lance and Rachel are on their way to the prison, but you probably already know that. Lance would never tell you, but he protected us. He tried to protect us for as long as he could, but we were heavily outnumbered, Rachel was able to get me out of there, I was pretty badly injured. After that Lance came and healed me, but before I regained consciousness Rachel and Lance were gone and apparently taken into custody.  _

_ I have been doing some more work lately, I realized hiding wasn’t helping anyone. We need to start going at this head first. Of course it’s more dangerous, but I would rather take the risk than wait for danger to come get us.  _

_ Give Lance a hug, and learn to forgive Rachel. I don’t like her that much either, but we only have so many allies in this war. I love you so much. I will see you soon.  _

_ MH _

 

She isn’t sure when she started crying, let alone when Rachel and Hunk both started hugging her, but she was secretly grateful. She was just glad to know that Matt was alright. She dug into the envelopes to find the picture. There was surprisingly three of them. A picture of the Holts, Pidge was so young in the picture, it was so many years ago. Before Dad was forced to work for Zarkon and before Pidge and Matt joined the war. There was another picture from even before that with Lance hugging all the Holts. The last picture was more recently. Pidge wasn’t it in, but it was Matt, Mom, and Dad hugging Lance.

“This one was taken the day Matt and I rescued Lance, it was your dad who tipped us off on where he was and your mother who insisted we go find him,” Rachel said lightly, but apparently not light enough. 

“Rescue him from what?” Shiro said, nosing his way into the conversation. 

Rachel opened her mouth, but Pidge cut her off, “Look a lot of things are going to need to come out into the open, so I will start. You all should know why Lance is here.” 

She told them about how Lance protected her family and saved Matt, but surrendered himself to give Matt enough time to get away. 

“Well I can’t say I am surprised,” Keith said with a sigh before Shiro punched him. 

“Pidge I am sorry about your family,” Shiro added, Keith quickly jumping onto that. 

“It’s okay, there’s nothing I can do about it now, it sucks, it hurts, but we have more important things to discuss,” she said, and everyone gawked at her, because she was the youngest, her parents were dead, and her brother was critically injured. But she knew there were more important things to discuss. 

“Okay so what did you rescue Lance from?” Keith asked, directing his attention onto Rachel. 

“Lotor and Honerva.” 

“No one had heard from Lance in years. All we knew was that you four were in jail because of Lance and Lotor. One day Sam Holt came home earlier than he was supposed to and told Matt and I that he had just seen Lance,” Rachel said taking a deep breath.

“Lotor had brought Lance to Honerva in hopes to use quintessence on him and before you ask I have no idea why, none of us do, except maybe Lance, but he doesn’t talk about what happened when he was with Lotor. Ever.” 

“Quintessence,” Pidge whispered into the air. All of them were very familiar. It was the life essence of the universe, and also a powerful drug. It was well known that Honerva was responsible for the manipulation of it, producing different strains that have different effects. 

“What happened between Lotor and Lance?” Hunk asked, Rachel took another long breath. 

“Lance wasn’t the same when we rescued him. He was a hollow shell of who he was before. He also came back to us bruised, beaten, and broken. He was terrified of everyone, of contact, of defying anyone. It took a year and a half to get him to what he is now, and he’s still not the same,” she said, it hurt so much. Seeing Lance that way. Hopeless and depressed, it never really went away either. When they ended up in the prison it seemed to worsen again. She’s sure the others noticed, after all he just fucking let himself try to fall to his death. 

“What did that monster do to him?” Keith growled. 

Keith was angry. He couldn’t believe that Lance almost died. Correction. Lance tried to kill himself. He was sure of it. Lance wasn’t dumb enough to fall off a ledge like that. It just hurt to say, as soon as they get him back in their lives he tries to leave again. Plus it meant that Lance was hurting inside. 

Then he had to hear that Lotor probably abused Lance was even worse. Keith always thought that Lotor was bad news, but he fed them, paid them, and gave them a place to stay. Lance always just said that Keith was being jealous of the attention that Lotor gave him, and maybe he was, but Lotor was a goddamned creep. Despite Lance parading and loving his two boyfriends Lotor always tried to make advances onto Lance, and Lance would always politely reject him. 

When Lance betrayed them and turned to Lotor Keith assumed that Lance finally realized that Lotor had a lot more to offer than Keith and Shiro did, but maybe the story was different? 

“I will kill that son of bitch if I ever see him,” Keith said. 

“Well looks like your chance is coming,” Rachel said holding her letter open. “Matt said that the news of Lance’s arrest has spread across the universe faster than any news ever before. Lotor made a public statement about his ‘partner’ and is on his way to retrieve him and silence these ridiculous charges.” 

“Partner? Will Lotor ever get it through his stupid head that Lance doesn’t love him?” Keith yelled, only for Lance to begin to stir. 

“Please, please stop, I don’t love you Lotor,” the boy whispered before trying to put some space between him and Shiro. 

 

Shiro’s heart fell. What did Lance put himself through these past five years? Perhaps five years in prison was hell, but he never once considered that maybe Lance was going through worse. 

“Lance, Lance please wake up,” Shiro said, gently nudging the boy with his hand, but Lance just flinched and groaned. 

“I am sorry, please don’t hurt me,” Lance sleep whispered again. Hunk jumped up and left the room. Pidge just looked down at the ground. Rachel closed her eyes. Keith and Shiro. They both could only stare at the boy they loved. 

The boy shuddered, he looked so young. It made Shiro so angry. Why didn’t he do something more to stop that creep that monster? 

Keith grabbed Lance’s shoulder and shook him, Lance groaned a few times before opening his eyes and jumping further into the bed. 

“Where am I?” Lance nearly shouted before taking in the room. “Oh, wait, oh…” 

Yeah. Oh. If Shiro wasn’t so upset about Lotor he would have been yelling at Lance for what he did. But no, Shiro just pulled Lance into a hug making the smaller tighten completely, he made no move to reciprocate the hug. 

“I promise I won’t hurt you,” Shiro whispered to him, and to Shiro’s surprise and just about everyone else’s Lance pushed Shiro away and faced his sister. 

“My life, my right to share,” Lance said before storming out of the infirmary, a little less successfully that he probably hoped, still trying to recover from his injuries. Those left in the infirmary were left speechless and unsure what to do. Shiro wanted to chase after him, help Lance remember who he really was. Help Lance be happy and loved. Help take away the pain he was clearly in. 

But he did nothing, he didn’t want to push him farther away. 

 

Hunk watched as Lance stormed down the hall, not even realizing Hunk was there, he heard the smaller yell at Rachel and storm out. Hunk was at a loss for what to do. But he ultimately decided to head back to his cell, where he was sure he would find Lance. 

When he arrived Lance was lying in bed face first in the pillow. 

“We need to talk,” Hunk said taking a seat on the far to short stool in the room. 

“I don’t have to do anything, and you all really need to stop trying to help me, I promise it will only make your lives worse.” 

“Come down here now,” Hunk asserted, Lance looked up, his blue eyes giving nothing away, but he reluctantly climbed down and sat on Hunk’s bed. 

“I will only talk under one condition, you need to promise me you will get the hell out of here with the others and Rachel. You need to protect her and the rest of them for me, okay?” Lance said, but before Hunk could agree Lance lifted a finger. “Don’t ask any questions, just yes or no.” 

Hunk thought it over for a minute, thinking of possible loopholes, but he could sense that if he waited too long Lance would change his mind, so he nodded. 

“No I didn’t slip, we all know that I am not that stupid. It would have been safer for all of you if I had been successful though. I have a target on my back, and some of the worst people in the universe will not stop until they have me. I got you stuck in this god-forsaken prison to keep you all safe. Zarkon wouldn’t have started a fight with Sendak over one of you four, but for me, Zarkon would blow the entire thing up. I have a lot of things to do in the next few days, and I think it best if you and the others stay away from me. I don’t want to risk your lives, not anymore than I already did. I was so stupid back then, so, so stupid.” 

Hunk was taken back by everything happening, tears were falling from both of their faces. To think all this time Hunk has been pretending to hate his best friend. 

“You aren’t stupid, help me understand, help me help you,” Hunk said reaching out towards Lance, but he flinched, even though his hand was still a foot from touching him. Lance crossed his arms over his chest and let himself shrink smaller. 

“Rachel told us what she knew about Lotor,” Hunk said, he wanted Lance to know he was there for him. 

“I know.” 

Hunk sat in silence watching Lance who turned himself away, as if trying to hide from the world. 

“Maybe you should talk to Shiro and Keith about it-” Hunk started. 

“I already told you what I felt you needed to know. I would prefer if from here on out all of you stay out of my personal space and business. I have been taking care of my emotions and health for the last five years on my own.”

“But you don’t have to anymore,” Shiro said, catching both cellmates off guard, turns out the whole gang was standing in the hall. 

Keith squeezed his way through the crew and collapsed over Lance and pulled him into a hug. Hunk joined next then Shiro, Pidge, and Rachel. Hunk could feel Lance’s breath quicken for a moment, but eventually it relaxed again. 

“You don’t have to be on your own anymore, we are all here for you, we all love you,” Hunk said, earning him a few whispers in agreement, it was when he felt tears in his shirt that he knew that Lance had really heard them. He smiled gently into Lance’s hair. Maybe things could turn around. 


	6. You Mean Nothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the rollercoaster begins. 
> 
> There's so many feelings in this chapter. I can't

“I need all of you to stop crowding me,” Lance said with some bite in his words. He let himself become vulnerable for two seconds and by the stars he can’t get rid of them. They follow him everywhere. It had been less than a day since he woke up from his fall and since they all decided ambushing him with feelings was an appropriate method of getting him to open up. 

“We will once you start giving us real answers,” Shiro said crossing his arms. Great. How was he supposed to say no to that? 

“Well I don’t think the lunchroom is really our best option,” Lance snorted, every time he looked up he found eyes on him, it was only until he glared back with fury that the people shied away. His stunt in the lunchroom already scared plenty of the people into place, but he is confident that the rest of the table had quite the reputation. 

“I can bribe one of the guards to give us the library,” Hunk said, and once again Lance found himself laughing. If he thought for even a moment that Sendak was going to take an eye off of him then he was throwing himself off that ledge again. 

“What’s so funny?” Keith asks, he had glued himself to Lance’s side, Shiro being a little more respectful, sitting with just their arms touching. 

“You do remember the warden of the prison right?” Lance said, only for Rachel to gasp. 

“Oh my stars, that’s where you were, you weren’t in solitary were you?” She said reaching her hand across the table to take his, but he just rolled his eyes. 

“Seriously when did you get such a flare for the dramatic Rachel? It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.” 

“Well that would explain the extensive injuries you had when I found you in the infirmary,” Keith said, and Lance hid the small smile forming on his lips. He didn’t have time to get all close and lovey-dovey with anyone right now, not even the people he loved. 

“What did the bastard do to you?” Shiro growled. 

“By the stars relax, seriously, anyway, there’s no way we can bribe any guards into anything that I will be involved in, it will just piss Sendak more, especially after our last talk,” Lance said. 

“That’s where you were coming back from,” Keith commented, Lance could feel his peaking rage, Lance could also feel his own bubbling annoyance. 

“Can you all shut the fuck up, by the stars if I knew that sharing the truth with you was going to result in one of you interrupting every five seconds I would have given myself to Sendak already,” Lance said running his hand through his hair, only for Shiro’s prostetic to catch his hand, and turn Lance’s body towards him. 

“You will not belong to anyone ever again,” Shiro said, a terrifying shiver was felt down Lance’s back. “Not Lotor, not Sendak, not even me or Keith. You only belong to yourself.” 

“Got it big guy, can you relax, I can handle myself and it was just a joke,” Lance said, pulling away and taking a deep breath. 

“Okay but one small quick question,” Hunk said and Lance groaned dropping his face to the table. 

“Is that why you asked to protect Rachel and the others?” he resumed. 

Lance looked up at his best friend, “There are so many reasons why you all need protection.” 

* * *

“What do you mean you don’t know where he is?” Keith started, he was getting closer and closer to Hunk by the second.

“Pidge and Veronica asked if they could have a moment with him, he’s fine,” Hunk said with a shrug, he was actually trying to play it cool. Keith may be scary, but there was nothing quite like the look that Pidge gave him twenty minutes ago. 

“It’s your turn to be keeping an eye on him, we have shifts for a reason. Especially after we figured out the whole Sendak shit,” Keith was holding back a snarl, but fortunately for Hunk Shiro had just walked into the cell. 

“Where’s Lance?” he asked, Keith whipped around and started angrily shouting that I had lost him or some crazy stuff. Shiro’s eyes wandered over and met Hunk’s. Shiro gave a small apologetic smile, before pulling Keith out of the cell.

Sure Hunk was also freaking out, just much more put together than Keith was. His best friend had avoided every question pertaining to Lotor, which according to Rachel was no surprise, but that didn’t make anyone feel any better, in fact, it made everything so much worse. 

Beyond that every time someone tried to bring up Lotor Lance would shut it down, none of them had a clue if he knew that Lotor was due at the prison in a few days. Hopefully Rachel was talking some sense into him right now. 

Then the thought of what Sendak did to him was eating Hunk up inside. Yes, he may have thought a lot of resentful things towards Lance. Always claiming the universe would come around and make sure Lance got his fair sure of shit, but Hunk never realized that Lance already had a fair amount of shit on his plate. 

He sighed and rested his head in his hands. It’s okay, everything would be okay. The Lions minus Lance weren’t going to let anything bad happen to well, our fifth pack member. That’s why they had been planning a prison break…

Hunk always knew if that the four of them put their heads together they could easily break out of the prison, the problem was what came after. Where would they go, what would they do? Lance had always been their director. Guiding them to new projects and plans. 

“Lance! Lance! Please wait!” that was Rachel, she was shouting, Hunk peeped his head out of his cell to see Lance marching towards him, or probably more accurately towards their cell, but Hunk could pretend. 

“Lance, please knowing doesn’t change anything,” Pidge was yelling coming up short of the other McClain. 

“I promise I didn’t mean you any harm, this is all-” Rachel started, and Hunk watched as the already unusually angry face on his best friend erupted into something much more terrifying. His face became blank as he turned towards Pidge and Rachel, shoving Rachel into the wall. 

Hunk couldn’t hear what he was saying, but judging from the looks on Rachel and Pidge’s faces it hit some nerve. Pidge looked ready to cry…

Lance dropped his sister and made his way back towards the cell, once inside Hunk turned to face him, but that same empty expression was on his face. 

“So help me stars, this is all so much worse than I imagined, you remember the promise you made me? Don’t forget it.” 

Hunk stared dumbfounded at him as he left the cell as quickly as he came in. 

* * *

“Keith you need to relax,” Shiro said pushing Keith onto the lower bunk. Yes, the ambiguous truth about Lotor and Sendak put both of them on edge, but that didn’t give Keith the right to start bullying any of our friends. 

“Shiro how can I? How can I relax?” Keith said running his hands through his hair, he was stumbling looking for words, the raven-haired boy had never been that great with them, letting his emotions fester inside until he blew up. 

Shiro sat down across from him and lifted his hand to stroke the back of his neck, a soothing mechanism Galra’s had, even half-Galra’s. 

“I-I just, I would do anything for him, angry, scared, frustrated, happy, in love, I would do anything for him no matter what,” Keith muttered. “But he won’t let us do anything for him.”

Shiro pondered for a moment how to respond, only for Lance to burst into the cell, “You will no longer be doing anything for me. All of this, all of it, it’s too out of hand, I will not stand for it anymore. So scrap whatever plan I know you are secretly planning and carry on with your lives.” 

Shiro quickly turned to the boy who was seething, yet his expression kept impressively blank, “Lance, why don’t you sit down for a momen-” 

“No, no, listen to me, all of you need to stop, this may have been your fight this morning, but in light of recent news it is just my fight, and I will not let anyone else get hurt in the cross fires,” Lance yelled, surprising both men. 

“You don’t mean that Lance, please just relax, like I said this changes nothing,” Pidge said running into the room, tears on her face. Rachel and Hunk not far behind. 

“What exactly has changed?” Keith said standing up confused, the look reciprocated on Shiro and Hunk’s faces.

“Nothing has changed,” Lance said closing his eyes, his voice quieting bring the whole room to silence with it. “Nothing had changed, I was a person who dragged a bunch of innocents into a war they shouldn’t be fighting, so right here, right now, I am ending it.”

Shiro wanted nothing more than to pull Lance into a hug and tell him whatever happened didn’t matter, but Lance stood a careful distance away from all of them, ready to flee. 

“Lance, at least explain-” Rachel started, and the look he shot her would have killed her if it could. 

“Lance, we all still love-” Hunk said, Lance’s look a little less deadly, but the point to shut his mouth still conveyed. 

“I swear to the stars you are probably just being a big idiot,” Keith yelled, and Shiro’s breath caught as he watched Lance’s head turn towards Keith. 

“I swear to the stars, you five need to leave me alone right now, what do I have to say to make you stop. How about this, I used every single one of you. Rachel, I might hate you the most, but you have just as much of a right to hate me. I used you, our family, Veronica. If not for me, she’d be alive, you’d still have your sister. Pidge if not for me your whole family could still be together, living happily and successfully in oblivion. To all of you I brought the stupid war to Earth, it’s my fault that your lives were catapaulted into space. I used every single one of you, none of you should like me, and on top of that I got you stuck in a space prison on a life sentence.” 

* * *

Silence gripped everyone in the room as Lance’s words settled in, a million questions overcame everyone in that moment, Pidge could see it in their eyes, if only Lance would just explain what was really happening, no one would blame him, no one would be mad at him. 

“You don’t have to do this on your own,” Pidge whispered, breaking the silence, Lance’s blue eyes met hers, and for a moment she swore she saw the sadness, the guilt, the fear cross his eyes before he returned to his stone cold expression. 

“I didn’t have to do this all alone, when the worst thing coming was Lotor and I thought we genuinely could make it out of here alive, possibly run away, stake out some planet in space, and live happily. But that is no longer the worst thing,” Lance said back. 

Pidge took a step forward, he didn’t flinch as she lifted her hand to touch his cheek, she whispered it to him, but she is sure everyone else heard, “The worst thing is losing all of us, but what if the worst thing for us is losing you.” 

He met her eyes and for a second his expression began to break through the stone only for him to shake his head, “No, no, no.” He pulled away from her and with lightning fast precision he grabbed the knife that they all knew Keith kept behind his back. “I never loved any of you.” 

Just like that he took the knife and cut the skin on his calf, the blue lion on his leg, now bleeding onto the floor. 

“I used all of you, you mean nothing to me, I never loved any of you.” 

* * *

Keith could do nothing but watch. Watch as Lance took his blade and cut his leg, when he reached out it was too late, Lance handed him the knife and walked out the cell. 

The worst part was Keith could only think about one thing. 

_ I never loved any of you _ . 

He couldn’t mean that, no there was no way he could mean that, he had just opened up, let them all in yesterday. For someone who claimed he was just using them he sure as hell knew the thing that would make everyone stop and not chase after him. Cutting his tattoo, the one that he spent months designing for all of them, each one slightly different than the other, but alike enough to remember they were a team, they were family. 

_ You mean nothing to me.  _

There was no way he was going to let the boy he angrily pined and pouted over for the last five years say that he meant nothing to him. If that were really the case then he wouldn’t have opened up to any of them while he had been here. He wouldn’t have let himself be so vulnerable yesterday. He wouldn’t have told them the truth this morning. 

“Someone better explain what the fuck is going on,” Hunk muttered, drawing all eyes on him. Silence followed, likely from shock at his tone. 

“If one of you doesn’t tell me what the fuck is going on right now, so help me,” Hunk said, cutting himself off right before he hit yelling. 

Pidge slowly found her composure before sitting on the bed taking in a deep breath. 

“Years ago, way before we were thrown in prison Rachel asked me to look into something. Lance wears a strange crystal around his neck, one that Rachel swore to me she saw glow, this is also when Rachel admitted to me that Lance was adopted by the family, and not her actual twin.”

The room stilled, Keith spoke first, “What do you mean Lance isn’t related to you?”

“All I know is that when I was younger a boy I had never seen before became part of the family, all the adults never said anything about it, the papers said that Lance and I were twins, all the photos from before he arrived disappeared and were replaced with new photos of all of us,” Rachel said. 

Hunk wanted to ask more questions, but instead focused on the bigger picture, “Pidge continue.” 

“So Matt and I went digging around trying to find everything we could, Matt focused on the McClains while I focused on Lance’s necklace. I stole it off of him one night, turns out it was a highly advanced crystal with transmission properties. But even more curiously, the crystal was supposedly extinct, it was from Altea.” 

Altea was destroyed years ago. Zarkon made sure every inch of it vaporized, there was no way even the smallest crystal could have survived. 

“So…?” Keith asked, as if trying to get Pidge to the point sooner, because they all had a million theories running through their heads. 

“My information was very interesting, but there was no means of tracking the locations of the transmissions from the necklace, but that there were two transmission lines, meaning there were two other crystals. That’s when I decided to create a means to track the crystal. Matt and I happily used that in cahoots to his own information, the man behind Lance’s mysterious adoption went by the name of ‘The Gorgeous Man’.

“We found ‘The Gorgeous Man’ going off some rumors and using my crystal tracker, Matt and I both shocked to see the man donned Altean marks hidden under make-up when he found him.”

“So Alteans aren’t extinct?” Shiro whispered, but Pidge ignored it and carried on. 

“Anyway, nothing we said got the guy to spill, but we brought Rachel in and while she distracted him I was able to access some documents of the man’s, he seriously needed to get some better security. Rachel got him to fess that he was responsible for tampering with Lance’s papers, that Lance wasn’t actually a biological McClain, when we showed him the papers, he nearly let himself die on the spot, something about protecting his King under all costs, but Matt intervened. After much provoking and maybe some mild threatening we got him to admit…”  

Pidge trailed off, looking to Rachel who nodded. 

“Lance McClain is actually Prince Lance of Altea.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Secret revealed!!
> 
> Lol please don't hate me.


End file.
